New Camera Advice

Hey guys, I was hoping for some advice for a new camera. I've been using an old Pentax P&S for a while and have started to take a much bigger interest in photography. I would mostly be shooting landscape and architecture. I'm wanting a new camera but don't know if I'm ready to go and spend a lot of money a SLR + lenses. What would you guys suggest for a camera just below the level of a SLR.

Olympus is coming out with a 10 mega pixel p&s with a 20x optical zoom next month... $500. Though if you are going to spend that much, I'd recommend getting an entry level DSLR. MOST (but not all) DSLRs have a auto mode, which you could use at first, then change to manual or other modes, as you learn.

Just picked up a Canon PowerShot SX100 is yesterday. I love everything so far esp the price $250 EXCEPT no veiwfinder. Why they wouldnt put a viewfinder in is beyond me. The only thing I saw close to it was the kodak (not sure what model) that was ok but it was a 25 more and I wasnt sold.

SO if I can get past the no veiwfinder thing for now I will be ok. IF not I'm not sure what to do.

It seems to have everything that is important to me as far as settings and interface goes. Well see

I've thought about getting a Canon XTi but after getting another lens that puts me at $700-$800 and I don't know if I'm ready to spend that much yet. I've heard good things about the G9 but don't know if that is what I want exactly.

Go on eBay and do a search for Minolta XG under 35mm film cameras and then do a search for MD Minolta under film camera lenses and see what you can get. These systems are a dime a dozen anymore but they are workhorses. You could drop one off the edge of the Grand Canyon and scoop it from the sea somewhere off Baja a month later and fire a roll through it no problem. (I might be exaggerating a TEENCIE-WEENCIE little bit so don't try this at home, folks.) You can get into a good film SLR system dirt cheap and into a temporary darkroom for not much more, I would suspect you could get going camera and lenswise for just around $200.00 USD and into a temp darkroom for B&W film for about another three (including film). Just a thought. I did it.